Ingredient decoder

Hydrogenated vegetable oil: is it comedogenic? What it does in skincare

INCI name: Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil

Acne verdict Watch

Worth watching on acne-prone skin

  • Comedogenic3 / 5
  • Irritancy0 / 5

What it does

Hardened plant oil that adds thickness and softness.

  • Emollient
  • Skin conditioning

Hydrogenated vegetable oil in plain English

Hydrogenated vegetable oil is plant oil that has been hardened into a thicker, more stable fat. It adds body and softness to balms and creams. Its ratings vary with the source oil, and comedogenic ratings like this come from old rabbit-ear tests of raw ingredients, so treat them as a rough guide.

Is hydrogenated vegetable oil bad for acne?

Not usually, but it is worth watching. Hydrogenated vegetable oil is not a proven pore-clogger, but it is flagged for acne-prone skin for the reason below. In Fulton's 1989 rabbit-ear test it scored 3 out of 5 for clogging pores and 0 out of 5 for irritation. Notice how your skin reacts when a product lists it near the top.

Why it is flagged: A thick, hardened oil. Ratings vary with the source oil.

Clean routine and still breaking out? The cause may be internal. See what is driving it

Also called

  • Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
  • Hydrogenated vegetable oils

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Frequently asked questions

Is hydrogenated vegetable oil comedogenic?

Hydrogenated vegetable oil scored 3 out of 5 for comedogenicity in Fulton's 1989 rabbit-ear study, where 0 means no clogging and 5 means severe. That is a moderate rating. The test used the raw ingredient, so a finished product may behave differently.

What does hydrogenated vegetable oil do in skincare?

In short: hardened plant oil that adds thickness and softness. In formulas it is used for emollient and skin conditioning.

What else is hydrogenated vegetable oil called on ingredient labels?

On ingredient lists, hydrogenated vegetable oil can also appear as Hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Sources